Lubricator for locomotive journals



J; 1. HENNESSY. LUBRICATOR FOR LOCOMOTIVE JOURNALS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19,1920. Y 1,4L12,7%L Patented Apr. 111; 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET).

1.1. HENNESSY.

Lusmcmomoa LOCOMOTIVE JOURNALS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19,1920.

Patented Apr. 111, 1922.

3 SHlzETS-SHEET 2- OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LUBRICA'EOB FOR LOCOliI-OTIVE JOURNALS.

1,4rl2f74 1.

Application filed July 19,

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, James J. HENNESSY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement 1n .Lubricators for Locomotive Journals, of

which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use/the same, reference belng had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates generally to automatically operating lubricating vdevices, and more particularly to a locomotive journal lubricator of the general type disclosed in vm 1 co )endin a onlications, Serial Number I D L a 250,045,, filed August 15, 1918, and Serial Number 8 52g098,-filed January 17, 1920.

The principal objects of my present invention are to generally improve upon and simpli'tythe construction of? the lubricating devices disclosed in the-applications aforesaid, and to provide-a relatively simple lubricating device that is wholly automatic in operation, positive in its action of circulating the liquid lubricant and. effective to a high-degreein performing its intended functions.

Furtherohjects of my invention are, to

provide an; automatic lubricator for locomotive journals that,-by virtue of its relatively simple constructlon, may be easily and cheaply produced; to provide a construction WliGlQGlnfiliG pumping apparatus or movable parts which efiect aicirculation of theliquid lubricant-are separate from-the housing and :relatively stationary parts ofthe lubricator, thereby permitting said operating parts to be readily removed for inspection, adjustment or repair; to provide a construction wherein the plunger actuating rod is Stltadjusting and. constructed-sothat it \viH-yield longitudinally under abnormal lateralmovement of the wheel-part that imparts movement to it, thereby eliminating the liability of any part of thepumpingmechanism becoming ibroken as a result of such abnormal -movement; to provide a lubricator wherein the liquid lubricant is delivered-to the waste in ,the waste reeepta ole at such a height as to eliminatezthe necessi-ty ifor'having an oil tight connection between the pump and said waste receptacle; and, further, to construct the lubricator'parts so as to entirely elimiirate t11e requirement Viol packing strips or Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A p 311 1 5E22 parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevational' view of a lubrieating device of my improved construction, with dotted lines showing part of alocomotive axle and wheel with which the lubricator is associated.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of my improved lubricator and showing in section the journal with which the device is associated. V

Figure 2 is a detail section taken approximately on the line 2 -2 of FigureQ.

Figure 3 is an enlargedcross section taken approximately on the line 33iof Figure 1'.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the center ofthe lubricatorand approximately on the line l4t of F igurc 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the lubricator ,matel on the line 7-7 of: Figured Figure 8 is a detail section of the sellad ustmg push rod that is utilized for actuating the plunger of the liquid lubricant taken approximately on the'line 12-12 of Figure 7.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying dram gs, which illustrate prac ical embodiment of my invention, 19 designates the main body of the lubricating device, the same being preferably constructed vor cast metal and inv the formof an open topped receptacle, the sidewalls of which extend a substantial distance above the end walls. This construction enables the housmeans of V formed integral with the. underside of that ing to partially enclose the lower portion of the journal to which it is applied and theunderside of tie body 10 is provided with perforated lugs by means of which it may be rigidly secured to adjacent parts of the locomotive frame.

Formed integral with one end of the body 10 is a depending casing 11, the chamber 12 within which serves as a well for containing the supply of liquid lubricant that is circulated through the device. That portion of the casing 11 that projects beyond the adjacent end wall of the body 10 is provided. with a removable cover plate 11 which permits the well or chamber 12 to be refilled with liquid lubricant from time to time.

The upper surface of the bottom of the I body 10 gradually declines toward the well or chamber 12 so that all liquid lubricant portion of the pan that is positioned adjacent to the hub of the axle with which the device is associated is an elongated cylindrical block 16 in which is formed horizontally disposed bore 17. Arranged for sliding movement in this bore is a cylindrical member 18 which forms a part of the plunger push rod, and secured in any suit-- able manner to the outer end of this cy lindrical member 18 is a plate 19, the outer face of which is adapted to contact directly with the adjacent face of the locomotive wheel hub or a part carried thereby.

the pan 13.

Formed integral with the upper edge of the plate 19 is a horizontally disposed flange 20 that occupies a position directly beneath an outwardly projecting flange l3 that is formed on the adjacent end wall of the pan 13. V (See Figs. 2 and ,6.) 7

In order to maintain this plate in proper position and resist any tendency of the same to rotate while in contact with the wheel hub, one end of said plate carries a pin 21 which enters a bore or passageway 22 that is formed in the corresponding corner of (See Fig. 2.) i Secured in any suitable manner to the underside of the bottom of the pan 13 and adjacent to the outer end thereof is a depending block 23, the same projecting downwardly. into well and formed in sald block is apumpmg chamber and Removably positioned within a liquid lubricant passageway 25 the lower ends thereof being connected by a port 26. This port 26 is normally closed by a springheld valve 27 which isseated so as to admit liquid lubricant from chamber 24 into chamber 25 and the upper end of the latter chamber communicates with an opening 28 that is formed in the bottom of pan 13.

Formed through the lower portion of the wall of the blOCk'LHCl'COI11111L111lCiLtlIlg with the plunger chamber 24: 1s a liquid lubricant inlet port 29. Arranged for reciprocating movement in chamber 24 is a cylindricalpump plunger 30 and formed through the upper portion thereof is a transversely disposed aperture 31. i p

Connected in any suitable manner to cylindrical member 18 is a horizontally. disposed push rod '32 and the en'd'thereof s. I

arranged for sliding movement in suitable bearings formed through the top of block 23. A; portion of this rod 32 between the blocks 16 and 23 is provided with aseries of annular grooves 33 that are substantially V-shape and the ribs between these grooves are substantially of inverted V-shape in cross section.

Loosely arranged on the rod 32 between the blocks 16 and 23 is a sleeve 3 4, one end of which is reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder 35' against whichbears one end of a compression spring 36, the other end of the latter bearing against the block 23. (See Figs. 6 and 8.) Formed in the body of sleeve 34 and on opposite sides thereof are notches 37 that are occupied by the upper ends of the relatively short vertically disposed legs of a bell crank 38 that is fulcrumedupon a pin 39 and the latter being I seated in cars 10 that arefixed to and project downwardly from thebottom of pan 13. p

The "free end of the relatively long 'horizontally disposed arm ll of the bell crank 38 extends through a vertically disposed slot 42 that is formed in the upper portion of block 23 and the end of said arm is posttioned in the transverse slot 31 that is formed in the upper portion of plunger 30. Thus the member 18. rod 32, and sleeve 34: constitute a push rod'which, during operation, is moved lengthwise by the wheel hub as the latter rnoves laterally with respect to v the lubricatingdevice and as the push rod is thus actuated, bell crank 38 will be swung upon its fulcrum to move plunger 30 downwardly inchamber 2 1 and upon the movement of the wheel hub away from the lubrieating device, the spring 36 will turn the push red, bell crank, and plunger 30 to their normal positions. {In order to render this push'rod' self-adjusting and to-permit it to yield under abnormal lengthwise movement and thus prevent the breakage of some parts of the pumping mechamsm, I arrange spring-pressed clutches or detents'onthe sleeve 84, said clutches or detents being in the form ofsmall plugs 43that are provided on their inner ends with \Lshaped teeth 44,- and the latter being adap'tedto engag'e'in the grooves 33, thatare formedin rod 32. These plugs 43 are arranged for sliding movementin apertures 45 that are formed in sleeve 34, and said plugs are carried upon the central port-ions of relatively light springs 46 and which latter occupy longitudinally disposed grooves 47 that are formed in the sleeve 34. One end of each of these springs is secured to sleeve 34 in any suitable manner, and under normal or ordinary working conditions, the engagement of the teeth 44 on the inner ends of said plugs in one of the grooves 33' serves to lockthev sleeve 34 to push rod '32, but in the event at abnormal longitudinal movement of the push red. the excessive pressure upon the latter will force" the plugs 43 outwardly a suiiicient distance to disengage the teeth 44 from the rod 32 thereby enabling the latter to move independently of the sleeve 34. Further. this particular construction permits my improved lubricator to be applied to a journal that'has an abnormal amount of lateral movement during operation without cutting off any part of the push rod or constructing the same toany definite length, for when the, lubricator is applied to the journal box, the contact plate19 that is car ried by the'inner end of the push rod is pulled out far enough to make contact with the face .of the wheel hub when the latter is at its limit of movement away from the inner end'of the lubricator and following the first movement of the wheel hub toward the lubricator, push rod will be forced through sleeve 34 past the clutches or detents 43 and thereafter the device will continue'to operate and function inthedesired and proper manner.

I have demonstrated in practice that satisfactory results can be obtained and sufiicient movement imparted to plunger 30 by a quarter inch longitudinal movement of the push rod.

Formed integral with the bottom of the pan 13 and projecting upwardly therefrom are ribs or lugs 48 and resting upon the latter is a thin plate 49 preferably of sheet metal; which serves asa support for fibrous materialsuch as waste and which latter is adapted to make direct contact withthe' journal for the purpose of delivering liquid lubricant to the surface tl'iereof. Formed in the center of this plate v49 is an aperture 50 andsecuredto said plateraround said apertu're-is a short upwardly projecting tube 51. This tube extends upwardly into and through the body of waste positioned on the plate 49 and the greater portion of the oil that is pumped upwardly into the pan 13 will be forced upwardly through this open tube 51 and thus be freely delivered directly to the upper portion of the body of the waste near its central point The perforations in plate 49' will permit the passage of 'oil therethrough but the waste packed above same will restrict the amount of oil supplied to the journal' in this manner, leaving tube 51 to function as described;

When my improved lubricator is properly installed for use, it will be understood that sufficient waste is placed upon plate 49 in pan 13 to make direct contact with the underside ofthe journal and that a suilieient supply-of liquid lubricant-is placed in well 12. The axle having the journal to which the device is applied always has a certain amount of lateralmoveinent during operation and asthje wheel 'adi acent to the device moves toward the same, the face of the whecl hub will bear 'against'the outer face of plate 19, tl'ierebymoving'the same and the push roda slight distance (approximately quarter of an inch) lengthwise through the device. As a result of this movement of the push rod, bell crank38 will be actuated to move plunger 30 downward in chamber 24, and as the lowenen'dof saidplunger passes inlet'port29, a'portion of the oil trapped in the chamber below said plunger will be forced past check valve 27 into the out-3e passageway 25 and as the latteris filled with liquid lubricant,- a corresponding amount of the "latter will be forced through the opening 28 in pan-13. As the wheel hub-recedes or moves away from plate 19, compression spring 36 will return the parts ofthe pumping mechanism to their normal positions and the operations just'described will be repeated as the wheel hub again moves toward the lubricator. As aresult of these continued operations, small quantities of oilare intermittently discharged through ooening 28 into the pan 13Iand this oil will in turn be forced upwardly through tube 51 into'the center of the body of waste positioned on plate 49 and thus keeping said body of waste saturated. at a central point adj acent the io-u'u nal to be lubricated; and consequently effecting a thorough lubrication of the latter.

The supply of liquid lubricant is contained in well that ispractically closed at its top so that it is impossible for the sup ply of oil in the well to splash upwardly and. escape from the lubricator and any oil which may escape between'the inner portion of the journal and the'flange 13 will pass downwardly onto flange 20 at the'top of plate 19 and after passing thereover will discharge back into the 'lower 'port ionofthe I container 10.1

The pan 13 and parts associated therewith areyieldingly supported within the container lfi a-nd likewise yieldingly mounted in position against the underside of the journal by the springs 15 and for the purposes direct contact with the journal of the axle,

therebyinsuring constant lubrication of that portion of the journal that engages the brass or journal bearing.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved lubri: eating device can be made and substituted 7 for those herein shown and described, without departin from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I j 1. In a journal lubricator, a container, a receptacle positioned in said; container, pumping means carried by said receptacle and. adapted to be actuated by the lateral movement of the journal with which the lubricator is associated for effecting .a circulation of liqu d lubricant from the container to thereceptacle, and which receptacle and yum )in means are bodil removable from said container.

2. In a journal lubricator, a container, a receptacle positioned in said container, pumping means carried by said receptacle and adapted to pump liquid lul'iricant trom' the container into said receptacle, said pumping means haying apart that is adapted to be actuated by the lateral movement of the journal with which the lubricator is associated, and a waste supporting plate within said receptacle,

3. In a journal ,lubricator, a container, a receptacle positioned in said container, pumping means carried by said receptacle and adapted to pump liquid lubricant from the container into said receptacle, said pumping means having a part that is adapted to be actuated by the lateral movement of the journal with which the lubricator is associated, and 'a waste supporting plate within said receptacle, said receptacle, pumping means, and waste supporting plate being bodilyremovable from said container.

4. In a journal lubricator, a container provided with a liquid lubricant well, a receptacle positioned in said container, a pump having a part extending downwardly into the well of the container, a push rod for opcrating said pump, which push rod isadapts ed to be actuated by the lateral movement on": a part of the ournal with which the lubri cator is associated, and a' waste supporting platepositioned in said receptacle, whichreceptacle, pumping means, and waste supporting plate are bodily removable-fro said container.

5. In a journal lubricator, a container pro vided with a liquid lubricantwell, a receptacle positioned in said container, a pump carried 75 by said receptacle and having a part depend. ing into the well, and a pump-actuating push rod carried by said receptacle, which push rod includes a spring held sleeve that is yieldingly connected to said rod.

6. In a journal lubricator, a liquid lubri rant pump including a cylinder provided with a plunger, a lubricant supply passage v fed by said plunger, a bellcrank connected to said plunger and adapted to actuate the same, a push rod, and a spring-pressed member yieldingly connected to said push rod and which member is connected to said bell crank.

[7, In a journal lubricator,a container provided with a liquid lubricant well, a receptacle yieldingly supported in said container, a pump carried by said receptacleand having a portion depending vinto the liquid lubricant well,-a push rod, operating connections between said push rod and a part ofthe, pump, and a plate carried by said push rod; and adapted to lac-engaged by a part .car-

riod by tllQiirXleWltll which the lubricator is associated. I

r 8; In a journal lubricator, a container pro vided' with a liquid lubricant well, areceptacle positioned in said container, a pump carried by said receptacle for delivering liquid lubricant from the well into said receptacle, a spring-held. push rod carried by thercceptacle and having operating connections with said pump, and means associated with said push rod for automatically adjusting the length of the stroke transmitted to the pump.

9. In a journal lubricator, a receptacle, a waste supporting plate POSltlOIlGCl in said.

receptacle, and a tube projecting upwardly from said plate into the body of waste po sitioned thereupon. j j I 10.In a journallubricator, a receptacle, a plate positionedtherein and maintained in a plane above the bottom thereof which plate is adapted to supportwaste, :and a tu bular member projecting upwardly fronr said plate into the body ofwaste positioned thereupon.

11. In a journallubricator, a receptacle,

a plate positioned therein and. maintained in a plane above the bottom thereof, which iio plate is adapted to support waste, a tubular member pro ecting upwardly from said said plate into the body of waste positioned thereupon, and means for delivering liquid lubricant into the space between said plate and the bottom oil? the receptacle.

19. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant reservoir, a receptacle above same adapted to be packed with waste, a. passage from said reservoir to the bottom o'l said receptacle,

and a tube leading through the bottom of said receptacle to a point adjacent the upper face of any waste packed in said receptacle.

18. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant reservoir, a receptacle above same adapted to be packed with waste, a passage from said reservoir to the bottom of said receptacle, and a tube positioned centrally of said receptacle and leading through the bottom thereof to a point adjacent the surface 01 a journal to be lubricated.

14:. In a journal lubricator, a pump, a pump rod extending through the lubricator wall and adapted to be engaged by an extern-a1 element to operate said pump, and a pump and rod connection member adapted to automatically accommodate varying relative positions of the pump and the external element.

15. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant reservoir, a pump extending into same, a pump operating rod slidingly mounted at its opposite ends, a connect-ion between said pump and rod slidably mounted upon said rod, and yielding means for positioning said connection upon said rod.

16. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant container, a lubricant applying receptacle above said container, parallel vertical passages connected to said container and receptacle respectively at opposite ends and connected to each other at one end, and a plunger adapted to be recipnocated in one of said passages by relative movements of the lubricator and the journal to which it is applied.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this ninth day of July, 1920.

JAS. J. HENNESSY. 

